Where to begin? | Tracy - Austin, TX | Atheist Experience

[@ericmorgan1892]

If Tracy listened as much as he talks, he would have a complete understanding of the universe

[@petermeichan3160]

well he doesn't have a clue how a conversation works

[@proximoto]

Never do coke before the call.

[@ralfhaggstrom9862]

Not even FANTA ? .............

[@rnhtube]

you mean ALWAYS do coke before the call

[@PowerUsr1]

Tracy is smoking some goood shit.

[@davids11131113]

Tracy demonstrates how theism + crack = whack!

[@Nai61a]

davids11131113 Maybe "thwack" would be better.

[@MaTtRoSiTy]

Wish Jeff Dee was still on, love it when he gets 'triggered' - he's hilariously brutal!

[@remimaloney2028]

This video is proof that Miracles do exist. nobody told him to shut up

[@ralfhaggstrom9862]

I will, in my own lingo, HÅLL KÄFT ! .................

[@ralfhaggstrom9862]

No, they dony use Ä and Ö in german. ........@ammar siddiqui

[@VrandeCallet]

@@ralfhaggstrom9862 Btw. we do use them, Äpfel, Österreich etc

[@ralfhaggstrom9862]

OK, but still a few years ago I was haeggstroem ...................@@VrandeCallet

[@ralfhaggstrom9862]

@Kibate OJDÅ, det viste jag inte ................

[@JermaineSam]

cocaine is a hell of a drug.

[@ritchiestirling6801]

I can hear the jaw grinding.

[@todbeard8118]

+Jermaine Sam It could have been adderall.

[@brucebaker810]

+tod beard The Brits have a different word for lots of meds. ie Paracetamol (?) is, I think, acetominophen. I mention that because you mentioned Aderol. And I think the Brits call that Blackaderol. I had a cunning plan...

[@todbeard8118]

Bruce Baker I was stationed over there in the Air Force near Ipswich in the 80's. I remember Paracetamol. Adderall wasn't in vogue then. I didn't know they called it that now.

[@brucebaker810]

tod beard Hi Tod. They almost certainly don't call it that. It was, er, a joke. Rowan Atkinson (also plays Mr. Bean) had a show called Blackadder. Played several generations of varlets of the Blackadder clan. I saw Aderol, the dumb variation occurred to me...and I posted it. His stupid sidekick often had "a cunning plan".

[@mosiprop]

Admirable patience shown by Jeff & Matt here .. they may have actually managed to convey a point or two to a caller who seems to unwittingly let his incessant yapping get in the way of learning important information.. great communication skills, guys !!

[@VANEPS7]

Tracy is a motor mouth. He is incapable of uttering short concise sentence. He asked a question that everyone involved understood immediately but he wouldn't stop talking, he goes on and on and on. Everytime he opens his mouth he goes on for a minute or more continually adding unneccessary impedimentia and added baggage constantly talking over evryone.

[@rankter5175]

_"Tracy is a motor mouth."_ You could have stopped there.

[@Sforeczka]

You know what? Not everyone has training in how to argue. Tracy sounds to me, an experienced teacher, as someone who is very bright, very ready to learn, and who has a lot to say. He's an adult learner, rather than an18-22 year old college student, so he brings with his questions life experiences. If he were in my classroom, I'd let him speak a little more, guide his willingness to be still and listen, with little gestures I'd reinforce each time he said "I see" or "mm, hm." As a teacher I'd have provided him with readings, which I'm pretty sure he would have read, and that would be our common ground. I think he would be an amazing adult student: questioning, reading, asking, and drawing upon his life experience to understand. I'd help him learn to argue, both in writing and orally, and I bet he'd take to it well. I'm guessing. But from listening to Tracy, I'm reminded of why I prefer teaching 38 year olds over 18 year olds. Go, Tracy!

[@JnWayn]

To muddy the question so it can't be answered

[@scipioafricanus5871]

@@JnWayn I was thinking the same thing.

[@secularargument]

@@rankter5175 wow lol zing!

[@dallased25]

One of my favorite callers. Though it took a while, the guy actually listened, acknowledged points and it seemed like, really had an interest in learning. Much better than the usual "Ya'll beluf that stuff?"

[@ether6136]

@@251rmartin you just don't want to give him his credit because he's black and you're racist

[@politicsequalsgarbag]

While the caller was interrupting a lot, he was the first honest Christian caller I've heard on this show. That means a lot. Thanks for your honesty, Tracy.

[@findcontinuity5860]

No he was just a upper drugged idiot trying to justify an epiphany of sorts 😂😂

[@rabnoolas2088]

but he said he was an atheist

[@tinaspringer651]

politicsequalsgarbag honest my ass. He claimed to be an atheist just so he could try to get them to say something to give credit to creationism. He's a Christian all the way. He's lying. He's saying there has to be a designer, something can't come from nothing and all the other creatard arguments but saying he's an atheist to try to fool them

[@politicsequalsgarbag]

He was listening, Tina. That's a big deal and a step in the right direction.

[@wmdbassplayer]

Tina Springer : I don't think he's a Christian. I would call him an agnostic deist. He probably is just unfamiliar with the label and considers anyone not subscribed to a specific religion as an atheist.

[@robzrob]

Why do people assume that intelligence is something special? Why is its existence more significant than that leaves are green, that ice melts when it gets warm, that cheese is softer than steel, that...etc?

[@kaninma7237]

robzrob Good question! Likely because intelligent parts of reality are able to have greater and more informed interactions with their environment.

[@noodoo19]

robzrob Great point! Being 'alive' is simply a property of existence, and a product of chemistry becoming biology. Once that happens, evolution takes over and the evolutionary tree begins to flourish and branch into all different forms and levels of intelligent - as well as non-intelligent, i.e. microorganisms and flora - life. In other words, there are 2 possible conditions within existence: alive (animate), and not alive (inanimate). And 2 broad categories exist under the rubric of 'life:' Intelligent and non-intelligent - I suppose we could make room for 'self-aware' intelligence in there, but that's another conversation. So to sum up, rocks exist, but are inanimate; trees exist and are alive, but are non-intelligent; and we exist, are alive and intelligent. It's just a matter of chemistry going in different ways.

[@TechnoMinarchist]

+robzrob Intelligence is considered to be very important to the human species because it was intelligence, improvisation and so on, that allowed humanity to not die in competition with apes before we left Africa. Essentially, as a species we are very weak, we have nothing really going for us aside from being able stand upright when talking about our physic. So really the only thing that gives us an edge is our thumbs, and our brains. Humans have an innate dislike to being called stupid, because in the wild, the stupid die, therefore being called stupid is instinctually paramount to being called dead-weight; a person who's weak and can't compete; will die and not pass on his or her genes.

[@gurugeorge]

+robzrob Well, the dude on the left said what makes intelligence something special - it's highly complex, therefore highly improbable. A "simpler" beginning is more probable.

[@ChryosSkathe]

+gurugeorge God is not a simpler beginning, he's an infinitely complex beginning. "Magic" is not an answer, it's avoiding the question.

[@timn6643]

I like tracy. hes kinda funny. reminds me of donkey from shrek

[@abc456f]

Yeah...donkey on coke.

[@jasonnadal9721]

Yeah. Tracy is a real jackass

[@JohnMorris-ge6hq]

Good point.

[@markfindlay8636]

I thought it was donkey!

[@SuccessMalefa]

🤣

[@nickamorosodrums]

I applaud your patience, guys. Seriously.

[@nhurtbeans]

I like Tracy's enthusiasm with this conversation.

[@BortolanAlexandre]

this caller sounded like he was on some kind of speed...

[@blaise4468]

Alexandre Fry crack

[@nocalsteve]

A 33 1/3 rpm record played at 78 rpm.

[@Yamyatos]

Holy shit. The way this guy talks is insane xD He can't be stopped lol. Then he laughs and talks and talks and so on and so on... and then they tell him that he is wrong and he is like "ooooohhh.... :D". Ich can't stop laughing when i imagine this guys face during this conversation xD Nothing against him but this is just hilarious^^

[@johntrains1317]

The excitement of new ideas I guess. I remember being like that

[@Teamcashola]

I came here because it's episode #666

[@warriorofesper661]

i knew it, all atheists are satanists

[@Teamcashola]

You can't be a Satanist if you are an Atheist. We don't believe in any Gods including Jehovah's red headed step son.

[@MCodger]

+Warrior of Esper -- I knew it, all Esperites are morons.

[@brucebaker810]

+Rumplestiltskin LeVeyan Satanists are (tend, at least, to be) atheists. They just use a fake label to freak Christians out. Anton LeVey was basically leader of a hedonist cult. But they don't "worship" the devil character of the Bible.

[@cursedkennedy7605]

+Bruce Baker the bible associates us atheist with its fictional villain characters in hopes we will be converted or destroyed. so there would be nothing left but the believers. The bible is filled with lies, no surprise.

[@Gremriel]

I didn't think it was possible to utter 12000 words a minute. I was wrong.

[@jazzfree1541]

yeah, could be the reason Jesus wept 😐

[@AntisocialAtheist1]

Good caller. I am glad he understood what Matt and Jeff was explaining. Idk is a perfect honest and correct answer to anything relating before the big bang. Because that's a question that cannot be answered at this point in time. The people claiming to know are dishonest

[@BloodRedLegend]

It's funny how some people can be oblivious to the fact that they're annoying as fuck.

[@Gonicksomestuff]

At least Tracy isn't ignorant like most theistic callers, he actually listened and understood the logic. I appreciate him.

[@Drecon84]

I've actually tutored people like this. It's not really their fault. Once their mind starts working their mouth goes with it. Unfortunately this often means that they keep on thinking in the same circles. It can take a lot out of you to try and reach these people. Kudos to Matt for accomplishing just that.

[@sleepyd1231]

This was the slowest proposal of "something came from nothing" ever

[@brucebaker810]

+Dylan Ost Slowest...cuz he talked the fastest. And the mostest. Cuz he just has to know, you know? I mean it's all faith and we all agree. But I just gotta know. Don't YOU just gotta know? No, don't try to answer. That was rhetorical. You guys are familiar with rhetorical, right? Yeah, that wasn't really rhetorical. But I'm gonna just keep talking. Cuz I'm so curious and I just wanna know what you guys think. Cuz I'm curious like that and I just wanna know, y'know. Well, do you know? Ok? Ok. So the thing that really really gets me is just to be able to know is great. So I'm calling you guys up to ask you questions. Get your feedback. Your input. Your experience. Your Atheist Experience. hey...and that's the name of the show! How weird is that? Y'know? Y'know? I mean when it comes right down to it, in the final analysis of the beginning, 4 out of 5 dermatiologists... At least I think it was dermatologists. Might have been aestheticians. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah. I love knowledge. I love finding out things. Talking to people. Y'know? Have you chime in cuz, well, that's the only way we learn, right? Is to ask questions? Geez, I do seem to be asking a lot of questions here, don't I. O geez, that was another one. Did you notice that? I'm probably gonna be learning a lot from you guys today. Life is cool. Life is awesome. I don't know what your atheist world view perspective is on this. Whaddyou guys think I should do? pause. Breathe! Anyway, I'm all up in the knowing thing. Cuz I can't accept not knowing. Cuz I'm curious. I like to talk to people. Do you like to talk to people? I know, right. It's like I was telling a lady on the bus the other day. I said to her. I said. Are you guys still there? I'm not on hold or anything, am I? Guys? Guys? "Yeah, we're here. We just want to ask yo..." Yeah, cool. You want to ask questions. I do too. I can always tell when someone is seeking knowledge. that's what I'm really good at. I can tell, at least 75% of most of the time...just by looking at them, that they're seekers. Seeking the truth. Y'know? Or The Truth, I guess you'd say. But really, you guys are just awesome because I feel like I've learned so much already..... .... .... ....

[@smoothsim]

Now THERE'S a good caller. Those are the people who are meant to be calling into this show. People who genuinely want answers. NOT a religious zealot who wants to close their ears and filibuster. Good on you Tracy

[@Auron200004]

Man, I liked this guy. He seemed like a genuinely nice and friendly guy to talk to. And he accepted that he was wrong, and realized how he was wrong. I hope he keeps thinking and learning. I'm wondering if he actually had an interrupting problem, or if there was an issue with the phones where he couldn't really hear them while he was talking.

[@insect212]

This caller was awesome.

[@TheOnlyHentaijin]

A real Rambling man

[@Tim_M]

It would be nice if people did their research before calling the show.

[@sednabold859]

Also accurately and truthfully comprehending the evidence. But then we would have no show would we?

[@SamC3197]

I just love this guy's voice.

[@Burninizer]

A Universe From Nothing should be available here on youtube; it's where I saw it. Excellent lecture by the way, well worth re-watching.

[@avedic]

Gahh....this guy at least seems more intelligent than 99% of the theist callers...who usually talk with a medicated incoherent dull vacant droll. But, he really needs to learn how to LISTEN. That's THE problem with the theist callers....they sure know how to talk...but they haven't mastered the art of listening. Not "hearing" but...LISTENING. That's the only way to learn. You don't learn by talking... At 4:35 the caller shows a prime example of that mistake. Jeff mentioned that "some people like to think God had a hand in evoluti...." and was cut off by the guy going "Yeah yeah yeah! See that's what I blah blah blah blah blah" and he had to be told to calm...down and listen. >___< It's amazing how damn near EVERY caller has to, at some point, be muted by Matt. It's the only way to MAKE them listen. What's hilarious is that, often when Matt un-mutes the caller, they're STILL talking...unaware that they've been muted the entire time.

[@cursedkennedy7605]

Tracy ain't a bad guy. he's seems to be at that point of realization, and willingness to learn to try to understand.

[@CJCroen1393]

Tracey sure does like hearing himself talk.

[@christiancline5167]

+CJCroen1393 I like hearing him talk too. That's a hell of a voice.

[@CJCroen1393]

+Christian Cline Yeah, I'll give him that.

[@davesteadman1226]

He's not a troll. He's bi-polar in a manic phase.

[@GuyNamedSean]

Dave Steadman I'm bipolar and I don't endlessly ramble over people that are trying to tell me something when manic.

[@chokinonashes61]

Dave Steadman Sounds more like coke or crack to me!

[@Anarkitten]

I love it when people are told they are ignorant, don't take it as an insult, and take it into a desire to learn

[@irishgypsy25701]

Good caller, he seems like a very reasonable nice guy that is just searching for truth.

[@beastemeauxde7029]

susan martin searching for the truth...high as balls.

[@Ugly_German_Truths]

+susan martin Well he still makes no sense, cause the answer is "we don't know". Physics is no teven able to look at the VERY instant the big bang happened... a short time before, a single "planck unit" of about 1 billionth of a second before it would happen, everything we know about physics stops making sense in the then incredibly different circumstances of highly compressed, very hot and yet confined masses of energy that unfolded into time, space and everything inside it we now can see... formulas stop working and give you values lke "infinity" that CANNOT be true. So if we fail to even look at "Zero seconds" when it all began, how could we look past it to what it was that exploded then outwards? How often the universe might have compressed and re-unfolded in history? What is outside of it and how it might require occasionally a new universe to pop into existence out of that kind of seedgrain. What is better in speculating about possible answers than to just confront our inability to solve this puzzle and say "we don't know, but we know WHY we cannot say it". It's the honest thing to do, the only possible answer science can give you right now and it is far more comforting than any worrying about what kind of extrauniversal intelligence might have got this stuff started, provided the starting-state of the universe and so on. Cause it all would just be wishful thinking and not based in any reasonable process of logical deduction from actual evidence. Maybe some day we will discover something to help with solving this mystery by giving us some method for "looking out there" and find new evidence we have not yet any way to look for, confirm or interprete. But until that time has come and that world changing discovery is made (which will also not give us "all the answers", just a tiny bit more than we have now) "We don't know" will stay the best possible answer and all we have got. deluding yourself into possibly being able to know more is not helping you to find the truth.

[@timhyatt9185]

part of the problem is, to have ANY real notion of Big Bang cosmology, requires YEARS of education in a couple of highly specialized field of physics to even have a grasp of the vocabulary and mathematics involved, BEFORE you can start to have a meaningful conversation about it. Recent research HAS started showing some hints of things that were going on in the very early universe, but current cosmologists are the first to admit it may not be possible with our current level of technologies and understanding, to be able to find out more.... but we may be able to do so in the future with advances in other areas, allowing us to build on those to get further.....that's how science works. 75 years ago, the technology and ability to make the LHC only were only hinted at by some far-forward thinking researchers as an outlandish reach at discovering the fundamental nature of matter.... 35 years ago, it existed only on paper as a highly theoretical proposal....and now, it's a physical structure, and it has been successfully used to define the Higgs field.. when I was in college, the Hubble was just being proposed, and looking like it might actually become a reality.... Now, it's had decades of obseravation time, and returned images we never thought possible, or even conceived of....and the Webb will gives even BETTER views of the universe. In the 50's when the CMBE was first discovered, they had no idea how to really get a good examination of it. Today, we've had several specific missions intended solely to examine the CMBE in unprecedented detail.... While we may not be able to find out something today.....that doesn't preclude we won't know if in the future.....and with the track record of history....someday we WILL find out the answers to these questions......and finding those answers will create a dozen more others we've not even thought about yet....

[@Ebiru2387]

susan martin dude is a nutjob who needs to lay off the Adderall!

[@davids11131113]

'Everyone agrees there was 'absolutely nothing'.....no that's completely false. Our best most testable observations indicate that matter can neither be created nor destroyed, so this callers main argument falls flat on it's face. And now for a public service message, please never mix theism and crack, or you'll end up like Tracy here excited as Bobo the circus boy running around in circles.

[@Aroselli1]

Haha that's the point. It is agreeable that everything came from nothing in our current universe; just because matter cannot be created or destroyed does not mean something played a roll in it's "creation." Their could be outside forces such as the multiverse theory.

[@MCodger]

One mistake, david -- matter CAN be destroyed, it's ENERGY you're thinking of.

[@Aroselli1]

***** Meant energy ye... But still you know. Look up Quantum Vacuum Theory.

[@MCodger]

Is that under Hoover or Dyson?

[@davids11131113]

I don't care about whatever quantum theory or other says, no one with any credibility has proposed that there was 'absolutely nothing', and then somehow the universe just showed up. Christians do come close to it by claiming there was some magical being in existence, and then he just proofed the universe into existence, an idea which has no credibility at all.

[@LeighDWYC]

He totally sounds like he's snorting something

[@TheDynamicJAB]

This made me smort 😂

[@FEVB]

I like this guy. He genuinely wants to learn and better his understanding of the world unlike so many other callers.

[@changlee17]

My personal favorite hosts of the together are Matt and Jeff, Matt and Traci and Matt and Martin. Love this show. So good to see the voice of the minority. Godspeed.

[@christastempel5577]

Tracy, PLEASE, drink at least half a dozen one litre mugs LESS of the STRONG coffee a day, and at night stop drinking cofee at all, well at least stop after midnight.

[@avedic]

Christa Stempel I drink strong coffee...and lots of it. But, I've never come CLOSE to the histrionic insanity of this guy. As far as I can tell, he's on something a lot stronger than coffee: conceited arrogant self-delusion, the most powerful stimulant of all. -__-

[@christastempel5577]

avedic I think you're right.

[@christastempel5577]

***** WHAT ????????

[@christastempel5577]

***** What?????????????????????????????????????

[@christastempel5577]

***** no, but you are so articulate - and you are so creative making up such brilliant compound nouns - and you are so witty, and clever...

[@MaTtRoSiTy]

Nice enough guy but he feigned interest in hearing the other side, when he really didn't appear to have any genuine interest in anything contrary to his personal beliefs. Seems to be an all too common thing with theists....

[@ayedrey]

How are you going to call asking questions and over talk the people trying to answer them for you? Seemed like he was trying to passively debate and wanted it to seem like he was just asking questions

[@MrElionor]

Daundrey Belk well its not often you hear these callers say things like "I understand" "you have a point" or "that clears it up" he seemed to genuinely interested in learning maybe he got a bit over zealous but i think his motives were pure

[@jaredventour8723]

Tracy was open to learn.....which is appreciated. Alot better than those who are so closed minded they won't even consider.

[@3point14rat]

This really is a great caller. It's very rare and refreshing to hear a person really care what's true and be willing to learn with an open mind. I'm totally impressed by his openness and utter lack of pretense. I'd love to have him as a neighbour to chat with.

[@Skepticfornow]

This caller was fucking awful. Piece of shit didn't want to listen he just wanted to talk over the hosts.

[@febbra2]

Hey, this guy was not that bad at all

[@carlconrad1]

I didn't have any problems with this caller. These kinds of creationists are my favorite because they aren't forceful with their beliefs and they don't idiotically deny logical evidence. This is the only episode where I am more annoyed with the Atheists. They lost their temper too quickly and treated him in an unnecessarily rude manner.

[@mr-ch405]

Okay this is for creationist and believers - If god came into existence - who created GOD?.. because as the guys say in this clip - GOD, according to the BIBLE, is supposed to be intelligent, and a very very complex thing. And from nothing you can not create something according to the scripture. But the same rule should apply to GOD also, you cannot create yourself from nothing. You would have to exist and think in order to think your own existence into reality. And that is impossible from our current perspective of things.

[@johnb.784]

I think the problem with some is that people think god is only a single being spanning across infinity or (space). The reason i say that is because every life form on the planet has its own level of intelligence so its more likely that due to the scattered teachings of spirituality and miss conceptions and lies that are taught.. people have lost understanding of the truth. And like the video states it comes to a point to where every bit of knowledge boils down to simplicity. God to this world is only one. But from the begining formed many. Those first formed beings created further and further.

[@OttoVonGarfield]

John B. that, or there is no god, simple as that.

[@johnb.784]

max larsen the question i would also ask.. Is as the world formed itself during its evolution. How did it develope the ability to periodicly water the lifeforms that developed on it.

[@mr-ch405]

Hahaha John B. and you call that proof of god? Just because from time to time there is a rain falling on earth? Then the storms on Mars are because at one point there was lifeform also? Your presumption that the rain is made specifically by an intelligent being it's a proof that you invoke god whenever you don't understand the workings of stuff. Do you know the fact that water evaporates right? Okay I have a news for you, rain was long before there was any vegetation on earth. And in the beginning I bet the rain was a bit acidic due to the high volcanic activity of the planet. And the water evaporated then formed the clouds and at one point cooled the entire planet to a working point. So the fact that rains is not a miracle of god for his dumb followers.

[@rankter5175]

John B. _"How did it (earth) develop the ability to periodicly water the lifeforms"_ You are making 2 assertions: 1) precipitation is not inherent to Earth, and 2) life forms only occurred because of precipitation. Both are false.

[@sacredgeometry]

I like tracy, he doesnt quite get a lot of rather simple concepts but he's very honest and interested. Very admirable qualities indeed.

[@zippitybop]

This caller was a true gentleman. Passionate but considerate. He never honked on the atheists with ad homs.

[@cathrinegustavsson9775]

have to say this guy is very reasonable! he actually wanted to get some answers beyond the god assumption 😊😊

[@Ugly_German_Truths]

And then he dismissed any explanation given to him in a very neutral and careful way and still asserted "an intelligence" is more likely to be the reason for all of it and the other view is just a cowardly cop out. Yes his words were mostly polite (until about 12 minutes in when he started to deny Matt sincerely thinks the way he just explained we have to answer when we go with what science CAN know right now) and he sounded as if he wants to be given a good reason to make up his mind in any direction, but he was not truly reasonable if you go through his answers, he just was not as completely jerkish as most of the christian callers to the show are about similar subjects.

[@davids11131113]

'What made something go 'BANG'?' Well....what made a god?

[@unrealeck]

davids11131113 Bronze age man.

[@davids11131113]

Eck- AH...just as I thought!

[@davids11131113]

McKinnon- No no, you completely misunderstood and got it backwards....I was pointing out this is the theists position like this caller who says he can't accept that the universe and earth and humans exist without a 'cause', and that cause is 'God', and when asked 'if the universe and everything requires a cause 'God' then why isn't an explanation for the existence of the 'God' required?' THAT part, my friend, IS the 'special pleading' position of the God believers which you mistakenly accused me of.

[@6chhelipilot]

+McKinnon Mitchell It currently isn't known what caused the big bang, therefore 'I don't know' should be the correct answer. Postulating that a God did it or that it had no cause, are not only incorrect answers, but also trespass upon the false dichotomy fallacy. There may, in fact, be another cause for the universe that our tiny brains just can't comprehend at this time. But there is one thing that I think will astound us about how the universe got started and that is it will be a far more magnificent answer compared to anything that man has ever come up with. Remember how we were all stunned to find that not only were we not the only galaxy in existence, we were also not the only solar system in existence, and just maybe we're also not the only universe in existence.

[@6chhelipilot]

***** "We can go into a long discussion on science of what we know so far about the origins, but to keep is short, natural processes are currently impossible." How did you determine that?! But the key word there is *currently*. Nature, as we know it, might be impossible. Natural life, as we know it, might be impossible on other planets, but that's not to say that there aren't other forms of life that exist, that aren't carbon based, which occur naturally. We should have a definition of what the word 'natural' actually means. I found one: natural ˈnatʃ(ə)r(ə)l/Submit adjective 1. existing in or derived from nature; not made or caused by humankind. What's your definition of 'natural'? In times gone by a 'supernatural/non-naturalistic' explanation was given to the things which we didn't have natural answers to, until we found those answers. It's not Zeus who throws lightning bolts, for example. So, just because it seems that the laws of 'nature' have broken down, it does not mean to say that nature itself has broken down. If you say that there is something other than the natural (supernatural/non-naturalistic), then you have to say what that is, and can you demonstrate what that is. "So, if that is the case," And we don't know that it is the case. "If you remove the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." But that doesn't necessarily mean that the improbable is non-naturalistic. I'll go back to Zeus throwing lightning bolts for that one. If you were to tell the typical Zeus believer, a couple of thousand years ago, what actually caused lightning bolts, they would have thought you bat-shit-crazy. You see, what we *currently* think is 'naturally' impossible, might not actually be 'naturally' impossible. So, based on what I think is probable (not impossible or possible), I would have to say that we are far more likely to find a naturalistic reason for the beginning of this universe, rather than something that has never actually been demonstrated to exist at all i.e. a non-naturalistic/supernatural reason.

[@MMasterDE]

Just me, or does Tracy (the caller) sound like Seth Andrews (The Thinking Atheist)?

[@Vampyrekai]

I agree. It really just comes down to a matter of social discourse with him. He seems to have trouble communicating without getting a little worked up. Nothing wrong with him. It just takes a little patience to deal with people like this. He had a desire to learn and wasn't afraid to LISTEN to what was being SAID. He did interrupt, but that's because of what I mentioned earlier. I hope he finds peace of mind.

[@sumo1203]

God forbid you use an analogy with this caller, he’ll take it super literally and go into a tirade.

[@Khafka23]

I liked this caller. His wheels were turning.

[@brucebaker810]

+Khafka23 Revving. Spinning. Fast and loud. And non-stop.

[@johnnyjohnson4923]

tracy hit that blunt hard af

[@esands36]

He rambled too much for me

[@michaeliv284]

They were turning the wrong way

[@reasonablespeculation3893]

Yes, he is Spinning his Wheels... incoherent nonsense from I guy who claims to have done research

[@sparedonga570]

He's got a girl's name and can't stop talking. Where's the intelligent design in that??

[@kathyheitchue6069]

Spare Donga. STOP,sexist

[@Purenrgy]

Tracy is a horrible caller. He doenst listen. He just rambles on and talks over everyone. When you think he might be listening all he does is say Uhuh, Ok, Ok, yea, yea and doen't listen a word being said.

[@matthewmead5286]

Tracy is doing lines this whole time

[@tomacephqu]

funniest thing I have ever heard. thank you for that one I cant wait to use it!!!

[@bobbyduckett5465]

This guy almost certainly knows a meth dealer, or two. And a cook.

[@johnnyjohnson4923]

he hit the blunt real hard

[@gavinbain840]

+Johnny Johnson nah bruh, a blunt would have shut him up. bro was wacked on coke or something.

[@gavinbain840]

Satan haha good point

[@sayheydude101]

What an annoying caller.

[@davids11131113]

I know....other people here took him as a 'nice guy' but to me he's annoying because he listens to nothing and hes a 'fast talker' which I distrust.

[@gifgit]

davids11131113 I agree, a fast talker is never to be trusted. Just listen to Ray Cumfart when he`s on a roll and you`ll hear a mass of assertions and outright lies, but he says them too quick to keep track of. You may debunk or call him out on a few lies but he`ll still claim victory because we missed another pack of lies during the gish gallop of his speeches. Sye Ten also uses multiple points at once to try and crowbar his personal opinions into an argument.

[@DevastatorJr]

Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

[@ScarsFTW]

I appreciate his honesty, when i was younger and really getting into this stuff it was a common problem of mine as well... I think it's a natural need to have a coherent explanation of things, and when we have this idea of time starting with the origin of the universe makes things very confusing to the mind.

[@trond3trond]

Tracy is one of the more sober people to call in to the Atheist Experience. He's actually openminded.

[@LeaLuu6]

I applaud the hosts of this show, they put up with some very frustrating people, that I know I could never be that patient with!

[@Karlsen1893]

This is one hell of a clip to watch when pulling an all-nighter!

[@NK123454321]

I appreciate this Tracy guy. He's a great sounding guy. Wants to get informed and is interested in the alternative ideas of different people. Would definitely have a beer with this guy. :)

[@thegrooviestthing]

I've heard that asking "What existed before existence?" is like asking "What's north of the North pole?"

[@Sercil00]

I haven't slept in a while. Maybe it's because of that. But Tracy sounds to me like 3 people talking over each other. At least he sounds like a reasonable guy, but they really discuss these same things a lot

[@EthanBalkfield]

this caller is amazing. Tracy sounds like a cool guy to talk to (or at least, listen to, since he finds it so difficult to shut up once in a while). He could be a radio host or something.

[@erik_carter_art]

This was actually a really good call, I think. Even though he was very wordy and kept talking even though the hosts were ready to answer his question, he asked questions and listened to the responses and asked questions based on those responses. The hosts gave very good and reasonable responses to the caller and the conversaTtion finished up in a cordial way (even if the caller still wasn't sold on what the hosts were saying). The overall discussion was very good though. If there are a lot of Christians who listen to/watch this show, some may have been swayed by the reasoning of the hosts towards the caller's questions. Good call!

[@theboss-vr1jj]

i think as long as humans are kind careing and treat others with respect and want to make the world a better place for humans and animals and want world peace , thats all that matters in my opinion

[@IJustLoveStories]

Because to many people of all religions, infinity is an incomprehensible value. The problem with many people is that they think that their own ability to comprehend and understand has relevance to the way reality works.

[@pdoylemi]

Nice - I'll have to find time to check it out. I never watched "Lost".

[@Parralyzed]

I love that guy

[@artblack01]

It's an observable phenomenon, set to watches to the same time, leave one at home, relatively unmoved, the other take with you on a plane trip around the world, one watch will seem slower than the other, to make sure that one isn't actually slower than the other switch watches and take the opposite on on the same trip and the same basic thing will occur. The one you take will seem slower.

[@Deadhammer218]

Although the guy talked like he was on devil's dandruff he was polite and acknowledged points Jeff and Matt presented. I think they did not tell him to shut up, because he tried his best to be polite. If you take the white powder in his system into consideration, the fact that he listened is a miracle in itself xD

[@jacobhardy9351]

Devils dandruff lol, gonna use that

[@santinovalfiore]

It could just be a form of ADHD. I sometimes get like that if there's something exciting that I'm learning about and almost can't restrain myself to "jump the gun" as it were. He also seemed to want to express that he was forming these new ideas based on what Matt and Jeff were telling him so that they knew they weren't wasting time with another religious kook. I firmly believe in certain pedagogies and approaches to dealing with a layman vs an academic on different subjects given any set of variables.

[@VerdantSerpent]

This must be the nicest most civilised call that a Christian has made, it's great that he wants to learn about it!

[@Pai001]

i respect this caller beacause he actually listens and absorbs what they are saying. Not so close minded

[@bowser515]

This was a good episode imo. The caller seemed genuinely interested and actually seemed to be trying to understand a different point of view. Unlike most if the brainwashed donuts that call in with their egotistical views and fear mongering. I hope this guy found his way out of his potential shackles.

[@EnigmaHood]

Go look up the conservation of momentum. That answers your question about the planets.

[@wmdbassplayer]

Timothy Williams, I caught that too! Surprised Jeff and Matt didn't jump on that!

[@sihsobhk]

Love the Fantastic Four shirt

[@chadrasmussen6127]

Dude same now I'm going to watch the live action fantastic four movie again tommorow sometime lol

[@capoman1]

I love this guy. Great caller, he was interruptive, and I think he got offended by the "ignorance" claims, but most people don't know that "ignorance" is not an insult. But he did keep appealing to ignorance, at best, and appealed to wishful thinking, at worst.

[@mikeking3705]

My favorite thing the caller said: "It doesn't take a leap of faith to say 'I don't know.'"

[@Penningtontj]

Just so you know, "planet" is just a label we put on objects in space of a certain size and composition. If our definition made something "not a planet", that doesn't change the actual object one iota, it's still the same as it ever was.

[@grimsoncrow]

Wow, this guy actually sounds like he is capable of listening and understanding their arguments.

[@briancomley8210]

The term "motor mouth" come to mind.

[@JohnNesbit1957]

This caller is buzzing on something, either amphetamines or caffeine. He is teetering on the edge of emotional oblivion.

[@JassZoigel]

Y not both

[@INTPTT]

I like this caller. He was genuinely interested in learning, which isn't as common as it should be. I think this conversation helped him, too. Now, if only he would stop interrupting...

[@baldbeardedbassist]

Probably my favorite caller, right here.

[@abarnes619]

@MarkoftheAustinStone where do you get this ridiculous belief that we evolved from monkeys?

[@tafkaga]

I laughed so hard. Best caller ever.

[@johnnyvegas1985]

I agree, I felt that he really just wanted to talk with some people and just have a meaningful discussion, I don't feel he had any agenda and approached it with an open mind.

[@ghettofreeze]

I like Tracy. He asks the right people right questions. Yeah, he tends to run his mouth, but there's no malice in his words.

[@catkeys6911]

I have to say, I like that guy Tracy. He certainly seems brighter than the average dude, and definitely sounded like he was trying his honest best to wrap his mind around something that, it seems, no one can truly wrap their mind around completely. The ultimate (and unsatisfying) answer, here, is "I don't know". But to get a little better idea regarding the concept of "nothing", I stepped off the edge and watched Krauss' lecture regarding a universe coming from nothing - and I nearly drowned. He was speaking to college students and I haven't been one of those in a long time. But now my brain tingles a little bit like my body does after a workout. I think that's blood flow, trying to reawaken nearly-dead brain cells.

[@Sforeczka]

I liked this guy. He listened, if not all the time (but does any of us in a conversation like this?) And he's thinking. That's a fun conversation.

[@Hermunkle]

+1 on you friend, I am glad others heard that too.

[@ScarsFTW]

You're right but the point is that no answer on origins is particularly satisfying to the human need to have an answer to the question, so unless you're able to come to terms with it you can get stuck into this perpetual state of looking for an answer and being unable to find an answer that satisfies that need for an answer. The poor guy is just human after all.